Finishing the edges of woven fabrics



H. W. OWEN.

PROCESS 0R METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR FINISHING IIIE EDGES 0F WOVEN FABRICS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 6, 19II$I Patented June 24, 1919.

2 SHEE1S-SHEET1 H. W. OWEN. PROCESS 0R METHOU'OF AND MEANS FOR FINISHING THE 5005s 0F WOVEN FABRICS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 6. 1918.

Patented June 24, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHE"ET 2.

a v edge or selvialge which must be subsequently UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFIC HERBERT W. OWEN, OF LEWIS'I'ON, MAINE, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER CORPORATION, OF

' HOIE'EDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE;

PBOGEgiS O11, OF AND MEANS FOR FINISHING THE BLDG-ES OF WOVEN FABRICS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT W. OWEN, a

citizen of th UnitedStates, and a resident is a specification, like characters on thedrawings representing l1ke -parts;

1 The invention to bhBI'Gll'litftGI described I relates to the process of and 'meansfor fin- 'lli ishing the edges of woven fabrics.

Woven'fabrics frequently have unwoven .portions of weft or filling threads extending along or from the longitudinal edges or selvages thereof which remain as an incident to the Weaving operation. In WQiWlng Weft or filling, for instance, it is the usual practice to employ one shuttle for a'series v to.

.of picks and then another, the weft or filling from the temporarily idleshuttle being "permitted to float or extend along the edge I or selvage of the fabric until such idle shuttle is again called into play", Thus 'a series of weft or filling are formed alongthe cloth removed. V eretofore this has been done either by singeing the cloth edge or by cuttin the loops close to the cloth y hand. In

eit er case, however, the cloth edge or sel vage is liable to be injured. In other fabrics where during the Weaving operation the Weft Q lling is parted by a feeler thread cutter or a temple thread cutter, or both, an objectionable trailing endof theweft or filling also projects from the cloth edge-or selvage.

Regardless of how such unwoven floating or tr ailing ends are formed, it is important that they be removed in order that the cloth edge or selvage may present a clear and,

finished condition. {in important feature of'the present inventlon, therefore, consists of a process or method for finishing the fabric by cutting or removing the unwov'en portions of weft or filling from the edge or selvage of the fabric and close thereto wlthout liability of injury to the fabric itself. In carrying'this feature of the invention into'practical effect the edge of the cloth is Specification of Letters Patent.

floating loops of unwoven portions of p the cloth. r

Patented June 24, 1919.

Applicatidn filed December 6, 1918. Serial No. 265,601. I

subjected to the action of'induced air currents to distend or extend the unwoven porthread close to the cloth edge or selvage, and 1s prevented'from injuring the cloth.

To accomplish the obj ects of the invention the new process or method maybe practised;

by:variously contrived means "but it has been found bestto treat the fabric after its has been rolled or folded into a package or bolt form with the unwoven' threads at the end,

so that the body of the fabric itself may coact wlth the guarding surface to protect the edge or selvage while the unwoven threads may be extended through the surface b induced air currents and there" cut. ginghams with two or more shuttles eaoh'i' containing a difierent kindor character of Another important feature of the inventlon consists in a thread cutter operating in a plane non coincidentwith a surface over which the edge of the cloth may be moved and means for inducing air currents across the edge of the cloth to carry the unwoven portions of threads into the field of operation of the thread cutter. In connection with this as ect of" the invention it is desirable to p'rovidefor adjustment of the thread cutter toward and from the protecting surface so that the unwoven portions of threads in difierent fabrics may be cut appropriately close to or farther from the selvage edgeof The above and other features of the invention involve novel combinations of parts as Will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out by the claims.

. In the drawings:

Figure l-is a perspective view of a machine embodying the mechanical features of the invention and adapted to practise the process or method;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line 22 of Fig. 1 showing the relative position of parts" having to do more particularly with the supporting surface, the

thread cutter and air conduit;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail showin a convenient form of block for supportingthe -thread cutting mechanism and for connection with the air conduit.

In finishing the longitudinal edge or selvage of a Woven fabric it is essential that any unwoven portions of thread may be triinmediv ith accuracy close dinal edge or selvage and that the edge or selva ge itself may I be effectively. protected: from injury by the trimming means- The machine illustrated in th e accompanying drawingshas been found tobepracticallyefiicient in securing the end results sought and carrying out the new' process or" method. In the drawing a suitablebase 1 for sustaining portions of the machine may be mounted upon a column or legs-for vmaintainingc; i t in suitable position convenicntlfor itlie attendattendant. I I 1 I Within the inclosing casing hereinb'efore described and below or non-coincidentwith the plane of the guidinggoi supporting surface 4 is a v thread cutting device'yvhichmay, be var ously contrived, and a(l]ftCQl1t ,-tl16lYQlLQ:= the. guiding orsupporting surface foij the,

cloth package or bolt isprovided;\vithan opening through-which air, currcntsca re inducedin' order to carry uliiiiovenportions;

of weft or filling threadsinto the field of action. of the. cuttin;r deviceas ,the cloth packageoi'bolt 1S moved across the openlng z and ,abovethe cutting device as indicated in 35.

; 't -ion :andn vithinthe easing heretofore de- Fig- 1. In the present instance ofrtl e inven- ;-mounted abloclr'? having a cavity or depression=8 With. which isconnectedoneend of an air conduit 9. The block? may be variously.contrived but.in..the present instance is formed of-cast metal as avconvenient manner off-abricatmg the bloclqand priate means such, screws .10. I

the top surface of the block 7 ispreferably extendcdover a substantial portionsof the guiding orv supporting ,suI faceA and sub- Thethread cutting device stated may be variouslyformed and .inthe,

present instance vofthe invention it com-g ber 13 as indicated. inv Figs. land 2. This fixed cutting'member maybe secured to thejheadby appropriate nreans, such, for, instance, asthe screws or bolts 14, as indicated by dotted linesin Fig.1, and its. cutting end portion isprovided with the sepa- .,rated. fingers; or forks .15. be. t\ veen which the I unwovenportions or Weft orfilling threads faced.

I I cavity I 8 I and with' s be projected. if 'l he head 1 2 is provided With a guide or lug portion 16, Fig. 2, between Whichand: the fixed cuttin'gmember 13is themov'able cutting inember 17, Fig. 2, said movable cutt ng member being provided I with the c'u t t i iigportioiis' rs'mrd beinggui'ded upon the lug or projection 16 of the head. The movable cutting member 17 has slotted po tion lfi extended therefrom which embraces a crai pin 20 secured to the disk 21 on the driving shaft22 which .lfifitfilhextendsthrougli the sleevettlpr lfronrthe contf 'u .de c fi eli t wil be. ei ie sntit uponrotatioii of the shaft the, movable cuttn'ig member I 17 w ll rec procated lon;

gitudiiially; touthejfixed member and any threads WlHClilihly he projectedbetwecn. the

. ei id finger portioiis'of the f xed andj novable cutting members willlbe appropriately cut.

In order to, maintain the fixedland inovabl e cutting members ,in proper cooperati ngrelation, a bolt 23 is;e'xtended. from 'tl ej'fixed cutting member through thc lug or p rojcction 16 of the head and passes tl roughjan elongated opening Qtof the movable cutting .member. Between the luglfiai d the'nut 25,

thepin '2 is providedjjiitha spring QQ oranally acting to hold the fixed cnttiI Qmeinebcrin its proper working rela t-ion v t hjtlie movablec-utting nieni bQ Q he construction, the relatire reciprocation of tl i'e tivo' cutting being such that any Wear. of parts ,d u c t o n cm bers will be automatically compensated by thespring '26. A i X I The field of operatioii of thipiill ficheter, as'will appear fron' j thc ab ote es cr ption. ,iion-coii cirlei t ,With orsligl itlyl'below the plane of tl e guiding orjsuppbrting surface on ivhichlthe bolt, of clot l i 5 is adapted to be moved, and in order that the proximity of such cutting field may gadjusted as circumstances may dictate, suitable means is provided for adjusting the cutting deviceto-ward and from, the pl'ane of the cloth package supporting.surface. In the, present instance the, invention sn ad- 'stantially coincidentwith theiplane of such 3;

surface, as indicated in ,Figs. 51 and 3 5. The block 7 is secured to thesupport 6 by ,appro-Z for instance, t as the.

j l sting. .n eans; compr ses I screw; 2, block 7 and provided threaded through I the ting device. By proper manipulation o fjthe ad usting device the head 21 and, perforce,

the thread cutter may be adjusted(toward a .ti-o e; Plane f. t e sevent es prises asleeve 11 having secured thereto. or 1 i Y .formed. integral therewith the head portion lQtQWhlCll-lS secured the fixed cutting-menu I I It desirable that thei nu omn portions of Weft or filling 'threads represented at 29 ,be extended or projected into positioitfor the aetion of the thread cu t't er the cloth paclrage'or bolt 5 is moved over the supportin r,sui'jfa ce. I To this cndthe supp ting II surface or. as in the presentinstance' fl'the inventiomtl'ie block ce and end otthe I ening the 'a r 'c oi i cloth package or bolt 5 is moved in the direc tion of the arrow, indicated in Fig. 2, such dlstended or extended weft or filllng threads will be brought into the field otiaction of the thread cutter and'severed from the cloth selvage. The severed ends of weft or filling threads will be carried by the air currents into the conduit 9 and may be collected at a convenient point in the air system. If desired the airconduit may have a valve 32, Fig. 1, whereby the air induced currents may be interrupted.

The shaft 22 may be driven from any suitable source of power to cause the thread cutter to be actuated and in the iresent instance of the invention is operatec from an. electric motor ind cated at 33, Fig. 1. In this instance of the invention the motor 33 is mounted upon the head plate or support 1.

and is connected by the motor shaft 34 and sleeve 35 and short shaft 36 with .the driving shaft 32; the construction being such that upon actuation by the motor the shaft 22 may be appropriately rotated to operate the thread cutting device. By the connection described between the shaft- 22 and the motor, the parts may (be readily assembled or taken apart.

From the construction described as a practical embodiment of the invention, it will be noted that a cloth package or bolt having" unwoven portions of Weft or filling threads at one end may be supported upon and guided by the supporting surface 4 and then moved by the attendant over the opening through such surface in advance of the thread cutter. the cloth package or bolt is thus moved,,the induced air currents act upon the unwoven portions of filling threads and extend or distend them so as to carry them into the field of action of the thread cutter as the cloth package or bolt is moved over the guiding or supporting surface. By reason of the fact that the cloth is formed into a package or bolt the induced air cur-- rents are enabled to act upon the loose weft or filling ends and carry such ends into the field of action of the thread cutter without exposing the edge of the cloth itself to in- Claims l. The process or method of removing threads from a cloth selvage after the cloth 1 sists in subjecting the end of the cloth parlc age to the action of air currents" to extend the threads from the end of the cloth package, and then cuttlng the extended filling threads close to the end of the cloth packa 2. The process or method of finishing a cloth selvagc which consists in subjcctin the end of a cloth package to the action oi? air currents to distond unwoven portions of thread from the cloth selvage, then parting the distended. unworen portions of threads close to the cloth selvag'e, and carrying the parted thread away from the cloth. 3. The process or method of finishing a cloth selvage, which consists in forming, the cloth into a package and moving the selvaa e end portion of the cloth package over induced air currei'its to extend unwoven portions of thread from the end of the package, then separating the threads from the cloth selvag while extended therefron'i.

4. The process or n'iethod of removing filling threads from a cloth sel *age, which consists in subjecting the endof a roll of cloth to the action of air currents to extend the filling threads, and then parting the extended filling threads, and removing them from the field of operation.

5. A machine for finishing: a cloth scirage, co-m 'n'ising, in combination. a support over which the selvage end of a cloth package may be moved, parting means acting in a plane non-coincident with the surface of said support for parting threads projecting from the cloth selvag'e, and means for in ducing air currents through said support to draw unwoven portions of threads from the cloth selvage into the field of operation of said parting means.

6. In a machine of the character described,

the combination of a casing havinga supporting surface over which the end of a bolt of cloth may be nassed and provided with an opening, a cutting device in said opening below the plane of the said support ing surface, and means for inducing air currents through said opening to draw unwo'ven portions of threads from the end oi the bolt of cloth into the field ofoperation ol' the cutting device.

7. In a machine of the character described. the combination of a supporting surface having an opening over which the end of a roll of cloth may be moved while 51%? tained upon said surface. a thread parter mounted to act upon threads (xii-aiding into said opening from the end of the cloth roll. and means for inducin g air currmits into said opening to dis aid unwoi'cn threads .from the cloth roll p ed o er aid UPPUHif-l 1 iv Li ing an opening over hich the selvage edge the'c-loth selvage to be extended into the field .of operation of the cutting device.

'9. In a machine for finishing cloth selvages by cuttingtherefrom unwoven portions .of filling threads. the combination of a support having a guiding surface and an opening over which the selvage end of a cloth -1package may be passed', means for inducing air icurrentsinte said opening'to extend unwoven portions of fillingthreads from the cloth selvage,ai1d. a thread cutten n ounted 10. In a machine for finishing cloth selvages by cutting therefrom unwoven p.01- tions of filling threads, the'c ombination" of 7 a support having'a guiding surface and an I opening over which the salvage Qndjoffiff cloth package may be passed, means for, ducing air currents intosaid open1ng'to'. extend unwoven portions of filling threads, from the cloth selva e, a thread cutter mounted to cut threa s extended'intogsaidi" opening as the clothpackage is moved-ever s-to protect, the sch 11,111 a machine?of the st tute? d scribed, the combination ofa casmg'having asupp'orting surface provided with an 0 ening over which the selvag'e'jendof a coth- I package may be passed as it isnioved along said supporting surface, pneumatic means for causing unwoven portions of threadsto be extended from the cloth selvage into said opening, and means for; cutting the threads extended into said opening from the cloth selvage.

12. In' a machine of the character .described. the combination ofa work supporting surface having an opening over Which the edge of a cloth package may be passed, thread cutting means acting in a plane below the a for inducing air currents into said opening to extend unwoven portions of thread along 4 the cloth edge into the plane of the thread cutting means.- I I 13. Ina machine of the character dethread cutting means acting in a plane below the plane of the supporting surface, means for inducing air currents to said opening to I extend unwoven portions of thread along the cloth edge into the plane of the thread cutting means, and means for adjusting the plane of action of the thread cutting means I relative to the supporting surface, thread cutting means for severing threads projecting from the edge of the roll of cloth as the latter is moved over said opening, an air conduit having an inlet below the plane of cloth into position to be cut and then carry away the severed portions of thread.

15. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a frame or casing having a work supporting surface on which the end of a roll of cloth may rest, a block mounted on said frame or casing, a thread cutter mounted in said block below V r the supporting surface, and means for into cutthreads extended into saidfopen ln-g as the cloth package is moved over theopening.

the work supporting surface, and an air condu'it in communication with said'block, and means for induclng air currents in sald conduit to'position unwoven portions of threads along the end of a cloth package for the action of the thread cutter.

16. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combination of a frame or casing having *a work supporting surface adapted to sustain a roll of cloth endwise with the end of the roll of cloth on said surface, a block mounted on said frame or casing, a thread cutter mounted in said block below the work supporting surface, and an air conduit in communication with said block, means for inducing air currents in said conduit to position unwoven portions of threads along the end of a cloth package for the action of the thread cutter, and means for adjusting the thread cutter toward and from the work supporting surface. plane of the supporting surface, and means 17. In a machine of the character described, the combinationof a thread parter, means for directing the selvage end ofv a roll of cloth in a path ofmovement adjacent to said thread parter, means for extending unwoven portions ofthread from the selvage of the roll of cloth into the field of action of the thread parter as the end of the roll of. cloth is moved along the directing means, and means for act'uatin the parter to part the extended threads ad acent the cloth selvage.

18. In a machine for finishing the selvage edge of apiece of woven cloth, the combination of a thread parter, means for guiding Lament the selvnge edge 03%? 21 toll of cloth close to as the selvz'zgzje edge $5 mnwd tehttively then-:- to, and means for actuating the pal-tel" to 10 part the Weft 01' filling ends close to the cloth selvage at the end of the 010th r011.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speoification- HERBERT W. OWEN. 

